ded Fogg. "We
may as well get down to cases!"

"I'm not going to say anything."

"You've got to say something, Mayo. This is too big a matter to fool
with. If you are reasonable, you can help me fix it up--and that will
help the girl. She's Mar-ston's daughter, all right, and her father
understands how erratic she is and makes allowances for her freaks. But
he can't stand for some things."

At that moment curiosity was more ardent in Mayo than resentment, though
Fogg's tone in regard to Alma Marston did provoke the latter emotion. It
was evident that she had undertaken something in his behalf--had in some
manner sacrificed her father's interests and her own peace of mind in
order to assist the outcast. He wondered why he did not feel more joy
when he heard that news. He remembered her promise to him when they
parted, but he had erected no hopes on that promise. It had not consoled
him while he had been struggling with his problems. He was conscious
that his sentiments in regard to the whole affair were rather complex,
and he did not bother to analyze them; he sat tight and stared at Mr.
Fogg with non-committal blankness of expression.

"Have you the papers with you?"

"No!" He added, "Of course not!"

"That's all right. It may be better, providing they are in a safe place.
Now see here, Mayo! I'm not going to work any bluffs with you. I can't,
under the circumstances. I don't know where Burkett went and--"

"Burkett is with me on the _Conomo_. I'm not going to work any bluffs
with you, either, Fogg!"

"I don't care where he is nor what he has told you. Any allegations from
regular liars and men who have been fired can be taken care of in court,
under the blackmail law. But in the case of those papers it's different.
I'm open and frank with you, Mayo. We have been betrayed from inside
the fort. Through some leak in the office that girl got hold of those
papers. I don't know what your sense of honor is in such matters. I'm
not here to appeal to it. Too much dirt has been done you to have that
argument have any special effect. I'm open and frank, I say!" He spread
his hands. "Probably she didn't half realize what she was doing! But now
that you have the papers, you realize!"

Not by a flicker of an eyelid did Mayo betray his total ignorance of
what Fogg referred to.

"I want to ask you, man to man," proceeded the emissary, "whether you
propose to use those papers simply for yourself--to get back--well--you
kno